Howzingery

Howzingery is, in most of Ghyll, an extremely rare occurance - rare enough that it wouldn't normally be worth writing an encyclopedia article about, since for the most part, only a few very dedicated scholars even know or care about such things as Howzingery, and they already know everything they need to know about it. However, it has recently been discovered that Howzingery is an extremely commonplace occurance in some isolated geological spots, such as Ungerry-Tubers, and therefore it is worth explaining for the sake of the occasional traveller visiting those places.

Howzingery is a bizzare process. It begins with a small bump on the ground, which gradually enlarges until it reaches what is known as the Sneling stage. At this point, it begins to release unusual odors, not unlike those of rotting Zhur Fruit. If there are Ghyllians living in the area and they have discovered the Sneling, it is traditional for them to hold a festival around it, although they often wear nose plugs. After some time, the Sneling bursts open to reveal the Nutule, a small orange growth that slowly turns to jelly over the next three days and then evaporates. Why this happens is a complete mystery.

Rancticircheretic is one of the few people to have ever witnessed a Howzingery from start to finish with the scientific knowledge to make use of and properly record the process. Therefore, his text, although two centuries old, is still the primary research document for those interested in the Howingery phenomenon. He has recorded that the Nutule is, on average, a single nanit in radius, and if plucked from the ground immediately after the bursting of the Sneling, small, shrivled roots can be seen emerging from the bottom. This suggests that the Howzingery is created by a sort of plant, although far too little is known of Howzingery to say for sure. Rancticircheretic also reports that the Nutule jelly tastes like roasted Splak, which just goes to show that the man was A. Very brave and B. Had unusual dietary habits.

The only other thing worth mentioning is that the inhabitants of those vague, isolated spots where Howzingery is common often mention that there is some connection between it and the heh-blammo balance. If there is any truth behind this statement, it has yet to be revealed.